Beautiful Holiday Table Decorations from Heart of Haiti

Thanksgiving is next week and this year I am going all out with my table decorations. I bought some new plates and napkins which I will show you later this week, but the piece I am most excited about is this gorgeous hand hammered hand tray that is part of the Heart of Haiti “gifts that give hope” available for purchase at Macy‘s.

Decorate your table this Thanksgiving using the Heart of Haiti Metal Hand Tray

When I heard the story behind these pieces that Macy is selling, I knew I wanted to share it all with you. You see, over in Haiti, there are these amazing Haitian artisans who work hard to help provide for their families. In fact, the average yearly income in Haiti is about $400. I love that they are helping these women use their trade to further their families. It’s part of the Trade-Not-Aid program.

Add to that, Haiti has an estimated 400,000 artisans (out of a 10M population) who rely solely on their handcrafted goods as a source of income. No other sector of employment even approaches such numbers. When you employ one artist in Haiti, the entire community benefits. Over 500 artists employed benefits over 3,000 members of their extended family. You are helping them have a sustainable income.

Use your beautiful hand hammered tray to serve coffee this winter when a friend comes to visit!

Haiti is near and dear to my heart anyway, because we support an orphanage over there through our church and my little guy is about 10 years old and is doing so wonderful. We have a close connection with the orphanage and send presents every year for school, birthdays, Christmas, etc and a team of our church members go and visit at least twice a year.

How Macy’s got involved

Macy’s went to Haiti shortly after the January 12, 2010 earthquake and realized that despite the devastation there was an artist community that existed and was eager to bring their product to market.

They launched a product line for sale at Macys.com and in select stores which to date has employed 400 artists. Macy’s paved the way in helping to rebuild this important sector of the fragile economy. It is their way of giving back through beautiful handmade decor.

I love the metal work on this tray. In fact, it was made using steel oil drums that are hammered and chiseled and sculpted to create unique pieces like the ones you see on Macys.com. Each piece is hand crafted by the ladies in Haiti. It has a special meaning to me and every time I look at it sitting on my table, it reminds me to pray for these families that are so near and dear to my heart.

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Jennifer Sikora is a lifestyle, food and travel blogger living in western Kentucky. You can always find her in the kitchen creating recipes or flying around the US on another exciting travel adventure. She loves coffee more than she loves her sleep and she is a die hard television and movie junkie. Read More…